While taking a much needed pit stop during April’s Hispanicize conference in Miami, my business partner Natasha Pongonis and I happened to bump into a representative from the NASCAR Multicultural Development team.  As we chit chatted, we realized how interesting NASCAR’s multicultural strategies and plan were and decided to write a blog to share the NASCAR story with our readers.

Here at DK Web Consulting and Social Media Spanish, we love sports. We especially love sports brands who understand how important it is to reach out to Hispanics in the US and abroad. In the past year, we have had the opportunity of bringing you stories about Major League Soccer (MLS) the NBA the NFL and, today, we are bringing you the unique world of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).

Racing has been a big part of Latin culture for as long as it has been a sport, but in America, the Mecca of car racing, NASCAR, is doing everything in its power to reach out to Hispanic audiences.  NACAR is even “opening its doors” to drivers, crew members and owners of Hispanic background to attract more interest in its world.

All about La Educación

For NASCAR the mission is about raising awareness of the sport and shifting the perception of Hispanics about the sport rather than a focus on sales goals.

But how do you tap into your current 9% Hispanic audience, plus grow higher interest in the most American of sports?

That’s where NASCAR Multicultural Development Manager, Alejandra Diaz-Labrecque sits behind the wheel to drive right into this key audience’s heart.  However, as you can imagine this has not been an easy task.

According to Ms. Diaz-Labrecque, “Focus group research in major Hispanic cities was done. Hispanics with different levels of acculturation were interviewed. Some were fans and some were not.” Interestingly, perception of NASCAR and their events was very poor, specifically because “They did not feel safe, did not feel it was not a family friendly event and did not feel welcomed,” Diaz-Labrecque said.

That’s when “Bienvenidos a NASCAR” (Welcome to NASCAR) was created. “We had to address these misperceptions directly. The program is more about education, than just selling tickets,” Diaz-Labrecque explained. “NASCAR has grown so fast that people look for quick ROI. But for our Hispanic effort, we know it is more about this key audience learning about the sport and the interest and passion will come later.”

For this Hispanic Awareness campaign, NASCAR partnered with 3 tracks in 2011, Phoenix, Miami, and Chicago.  At the NASCAR Sprint Cup races of these tracks, NASCAR looked to welcome Hispanics by having bilingual ambassadors, a bilingual broadcast, Spanish signage as well as concerts including Los Lobos in Phoenix and Chino and Nacho in Miami.

The Virtual Garage Tour

To show Latino fans more about the sport, and give them a virtual close-up, NASCAR created a bilingual campaign which aimed at educating their young target audience.  “We developed nine one-minute videos of nine key areas in the NASCAR garage and had Juan Pablo Montoya and owner, Felix Sabates, educate the viewer about what occurs in each location,” explains Diaz-Labrecque.  By watching the short videos, fans are able to quickly learn happens at each of these areas within the NASCAR garage.

A view from the Virtual Garage Tour: Juan Pablo’s Hauler

Car Culture: “Automovilismo”

It is no understatement to say that Hispanics have a passion for cars, and therefore, there is a natural fit for NASCAR.  “There’s a big car culture among the Hispanic community and we have just scratched the surface. Also, we (NASCAR) are a very family centric organization,” Diaz-Labrecque said. It is true that for many Latin American families, watching Formula 1 is as important as going to church on Sundays! Latinos are also very passionate about following the famous Dakar Rally across different Latin American countries and cheering for their own country.

NASCAR has done their homework and wants to capture the sense of becoming an evento de familia (family event) among all Hispanics, in a setting where families can feel welcome, safe and supported.

Latinos on the Track

Hispanics can feel represented on the racetrack as well.  Among the big Latino names in the sport is the well known Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya with Target as his main sponsor, who is also a huge advertiser among the US Hispanic community. Lining up the Latinos in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is Cuban Aric Almirola. There are two full time Brazilian drivers on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Nelson Piquet Jr and Miguel Paludo.

NASCAR can truly find their driver diversity in the US in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. As the premier developmental series for NASCAR, this series boasts drivers from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Angola. The NASCAR Toyota Series, a series ran entirely in Mexico is another great example of NASCAR’s efforts to embrace the Latino community, within the US and abroad.

There are a few teams worth mentioning for their efforts to develop Latin and diverse talent in the sport. Rev Racing operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, and currently runs two Latinos (Puerto Rico and Mexico), one African American and one Asian American in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Operating on the same series, X-Team Racing runs drivers from Mexico, Brazil and Angola. And, Viva la Raza Racing, makes their debut in the series with Mexican drivers from the NASCAR Toyota Series.

Diaz-Labrecque travels frequently to support these diverse drivers and can often be found at tracks around the country from LA to Miami.

Nuestra Belleza Latina

At this point, NASCAR’s reach to Hispanic audiences is in its early stages, but there are great events that have already taken place.  This year NASCAR teamed with the highly rated show Nuestra Belleza Latina on a brand integrated challenge in Miami.  For those that don’t know, Nuestra Belleza Latina is a beauty pageant reality show now in its 6th season on Univision in which contestants take on weekly challenges in order to garner votes to stay on the show.

“For the NASCAR challenge, he (Juan Pablo) was to drive each of the girls around the track for three laps while they had to recite NASCAR facts by memory.”  Quite a show considering that JP was cruising at 180 miles an hour!  See clips on the video link below.  (Belleza Latina Challenge)

Speed Challenge With Juan Pablo Montoya in Nuestra Belleza Latina

2013 – A year of much promise

With momentum gaining from their ongoing efforts towards the Hispanic community, NASCAR is excited for 2013.  In 2013 NASCAR will re-acquire the digital rights to digital properties such as NASCAR.com and the NASCAR Facebook pages in English and Spanish.  At this time there are several recently launched Facebook diversity pages which Diaz-Labreque manages, which have links listed at the bottom of this post.

A recent Facebook post featuring Los Latinos at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Bristol.

Your Thoughts?

We would like to hear your stories about going to a NASCAR event.  Do you think that NASCAR will be able to generate passion among Hispanics in large numbers?
For more information about NASCAR and Alejandra Diaz-Labrecque or to connect with DK Web Consulting and Social Media Spanish, please leave us a comment below.

About Alejandra

Alejandra Diaz Labrecque is the Manager of Multicultural Development at NASCAR. She has a passion for promoting diversity in the marketplace and helping companies connect with new demographics. She holds a Masters in Sports Business Management and an MBA from the University of Central Florida, and a Bachelor in Finance from the University of Notre Dame. A native of Guadalajara, Mexico, Diaz Labrecque now resides in Sanford, FL with her husband, Zach.

Alejandra Diaz Labrecque, Multicultural Development at NASCAR

More NASCAR Links

https://www.facebook.com/BienvenidosANascar
https://twitter.com/#!/NASCARDiversity
https://www.facebook.com/NASCARDiversity
Link to Nuestra Belleza Latina on Univision Clip

One glimpse of the country’s purchasing trends, and you’ll quickly realize why Sofia Vergara is peddling an eponymous lifestyle line at K-mart—which also carries Cristina Saralegui’s home goods collection—and is a spokesperson for Pepsi. She—along with other Latino celebrities—represents the burgeoning Hispanic population that is conversely taking over America’s retail industry.

The Hispanic Retail 360 Summit is shedding light on this mammoth market during it’s eighth annual conference taking place August 15 – 17^th at the J. W. Marriott at LA Live in Los Angeles, California. The conference and exposition aims to help retailers maximize their business with the growing Hispanic market in the U.S., and comes at no better time. Researchers from IBISWorld reveal that in 2011 alone, the overall buying power of Hispanics in the US hovered at the $1.1 Trillion mark, 9.5 percent of the US total.

Actor, Spokesman and Retired Soldier J.R. Martinez Will Keynote Hispanic Conference

The summit’s keynote, is J.R. Rodriguez,13 season winner of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”, 2012 Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal, one of People magazine’s 2011 Sexiest Men Alive and one of the 25 Most Intriguing People of the Year. At the conference, participating retailers will learn just how to effectively reach the diverse Latino market.

Hispanic Retail 360 Summit is the premier cross-channel event that focuses on retailing to the growing Latino market. While the Hispanic consumer market represents a significant growth opportunity for both retailers and suppliers, it is also one of the most complex markets for researchers, marketers, buyers and sales professionals to understand. Hispanic Retail 360 is the only conference designed to help retailers target, segment, and execute merchandising and marketing plans effectively to Latino shoppers.

The Hispanic Retail 360 Summit invites top retailers, suppliers, and Latino marketing experts to share their thoughts, insights, and feedback with one another. Topics on marketing to Hispanics will include consumer interests/trends, food merchandising, department store merchandising, specialty retailers, and many others.  The Social Media Spanish leadership team will be there to network and learn from some of the best in the business.

Two of the conference’s sponsors, PepsiCo & Anheuser-Busch, which together spent more than $1.15 billion on U.S. measured media last year alone, continuously endeavor to connect with Hispanics through strategic social involvement.

Hispanic Retail 360 is produced by Stagnito Media and its market leading brands, Progressive Grocer and Convenience Store News. For discounted registration information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Michael Hatherill at 201-855-7610 or mhatherill@stagnitomedia.com.

Go to www.hispanicretail360.com to view programming for this year’s event or for further information. We look forward to seeing you and connecting there!

Eric and Natasha arriving to the Hispanicize Conference

Bloggers in Force!

There were many, many Latina bloggers at the conference.  This is great as we work with many bloggers on brand messaging, so to have a chance to meet and socialize with them is really a great opportunity.  Some of our favorites were there including Jeannette Kaplun of Todobebe, Romina Tibytt of Mama XXI, and Alexandra Morbitzer of Fit Latina.  It was also great to spend some time with some of the amazing cause bloggers such as Laurita Tellado of Holdin’ out for a Hero, fashion bloggers including Mercedes Sanchez of Be Chic Magazine, and food bloggers like Nicole Presley of Presleys Pantry.  If you want to laugh and learn more about Latina food bloggers watch the video below from Nicole.

Better than Hispanicize 2011?

Many people asked how the content of this year’s conference compared with last year’s in Los Angeles.  Overall, I think they were quite comparable as far as what I learned from the panels and case studies.  Last year had interesting case studies from brands such as Tecate and the CDC and this year there were also many high level brands such as McDonalds, Dove, Disney, Chevy and more.  Content-wise, I think they were both very good and had an action packed schedule throughout each day.  My own panel was about Futbol Marketing to Latinos, it was well attended even though late on the last day of the conference.  We had great panelists, Michael Olguin, CEO of Formula Latin and Hector Galvan of Sprint who made for a very informative panel.  There were several very engaged audience members such as Alejandra Diaz-Lembleque of NASCAR and Elana Rosenbaum of Clorox who asked interesting questions that were relevant to all marketers considering a Latino sports marketing strategy.

Michael Olguin and Hector Galvan on the Futbol Marketing panel discussion

And the Party didn’t Quit

Lets be real.  Many of us attend conferences because it is a certainty that there will be a daily happy hour at the least, and possibly a dinner/club outing at the most.  Hispanicize blew all that out the water.  The second night of the conference had the entire conference audience at a private outdoor event sponsored by Diageo on South Beach.  The final night was a celebrity affair with the audience invited to a private mansion on the bay where there was an outdoor screening of the movie Scarface, with a number of the movie’s cast mingling about.  Definitely a night to remember.

Hispanicize party held at a mansion on the bay

Una perspectiva en Español de Natasha:

Este año fue la primera vez que participo en Hispanicize 2012, previamente asistí a otras conferencias y eventos relacionados a los Latinos y tendencias en la red como LATISM 2011 donde formé parte de un panel, pero esta vez fui como oyente y con la clara intención de poder disfrutar a pleno de esta tan esperada conferencia. La verdad que, ya estoy comenzando con la cuenta regresiva para el año próximo!

Un movimiento digital

Para mí, Hispanicize (#Hispz12) representó no solo una oportunidad única para solidificar relaciones entre profesionales Latinos influyentes en el área digital pero así también formar parte activa del movimiento dinámico que está actualmente ocurriendo en los Estados Unidos, donde los hispanos estamos teniendo una voz y representación importante en todos los niveles. Esto se vio claramente representado en la diversidad de paneles y panelistas; desde la salud, la política, el área de medios y prensa tanto como el deporte fueron muy bien represados. A destacar particularmente fue la gran participación de los bloggers y las queridas blogueras, que brindaron sus experiencias más personales con una audiencia ávida por interiorizarme más por cada una de las luchas personales.

Gabriela Natale, Teresa Garza, Lynn Ponder, and Rosy Cordero of the Entertainment Blogger Session

Una pequeña familia!

En lo personal, siento que tengo una pequeña familia que se está armando de forma totalmente orgánica. Nos vemos en conferencias, en viajes de negocios y en cada encuentro, las conversaciones se retoman como si no hubiese pasado el tiempo. Nuevas amistades se inician y se mantienen por el seguimiento diario vía Twitter…bendito Twitter! Es así que quiero dar las gracias al equipo de Hispanicize por crear este evento y brindarnos la oportunidad de conectarnos, unirnos y sumar fuerzas entre todos los apasionados por el dialogo latino en la red. Es así que será hasta el próximo evento!

Carla Briceno and Natasha Pongonis at Hispanicize

As an influencer and pivotal member of the Latina blogging community, Romina offers valuable insight into why companies should not only seek out bloggers but also consider blogging as part of their overall marketing strategy.

Interview with Romina Tibytt of Mama XXI

Why should large companies trying to reach the Latino market consider bloggers as part of their overall Web strategy?

Blogs are all the rage right now and the preferred medium for users to get recommendations and information. Bloggers are up to date with all social networks, tools, tips, and the Web in general, therefore prove very influential in this area.

On the other hand, the fury of social networks and the Internet cannot be denied— stars are born on YouTube, Pinterest, etc. Adele, a singer whom I adore, was discovered after a friend uploaded songs to her MySpace profile, and there are many others who’ve had the same experience. A blogger is someone who is versatile and efficient; they can just as easily write a review as they can upload a video to Youtube, host a Tweetup, or generate “Likes” on Facebook. Their most important attribute is the level of commitment they maintain to their readers, which leads to the discussions and user feedback so useful to companies.

And finally, as mentioned above, the presence of Hispanics in social networks is very important and is growing second by second.

What’s the difference between a blog campaign and a Facebook or Twitter campaign?

There are many differences, as they are two different platforms that make use of very different tools. A blog is the ideal space to discuss an issue in one or multiple articles while Facebook is an excellent platform to promote a topic, generate conversation, make a post go viral and publish visual content. The latter, however, doesn’t fare well in terms of providing a lot of details or information. Twitter is similar to Facebook in that it’s useful in generating conversation, interacting based on a topic and help the message spread widely.

From my point of view, and I think most bloggers would agree, for the success of a campaign, you should employ a combination of all three platforms.

When you’re trying to send a message to your audience, be it health-related or about a product, how many blogs should you publish on the same subject?

This is a very good question too. You could say that the answer depends on the subject, focus, and many other things—but not really! It’s simple; as the saying goes, “the more you fill the pitcher, the faster it will break” (tanto va el agua al cántaro que al final se rompe). The more you insist on a topic, the more impact it has. To this end, there are many factors that influence the outcome: firstly, the reader is more engaged when we report frequently on particular topic, secondly this continuity generates new interested readers and at the same time, allows bloggers to tackle topics from different perspectives, deepen and diversify the conversation.

The number of articles (posts) or notes depends on the campaign, some lasting weeks, others months and some even a year or more, hence campaigns enact ambassadors or elect representatives for particular brands.

What recommendations would you give to brands and organizations that are considering campaigns with bloggers?

I would recommend they that take into account all the extra benefits offered by blogs, as they are a very different source of media—blogs are innovative (and therein lies the secret to their success). Brands should look beyond numbers and site statistics and look towards the influence the blogger has over communities, followers and the public, which is generally stable. They should be open to working together with blog management companies like Social Media Spanish because they are generally very creative and have many ideas to contribute.

I can attest to, as well as the bloggers with whom I have the infinite pleasure of working with daily, the success of new trends and continued effort to seek out ways to bring about new tools and generate interest. We know our audience very well, and we know how to reach them based on their interests, hopes, concerns, needs, etc. Additionally, we practically live on social networks and try to stay on top of trends, which is why we attend national conferences and participate in related activities.

Last, but not least, I wish to emphasize that brands should also take into account that a blogger puts time, effort and energy into a campaign, so they must be compensated well.

What tools do you use to increase traffic to your blog, generate page views, and which social forums do you think are more useful for promotion?

Well, to generate traffic to my blog I mostly use two types of tools, firstly SEO (search engine optimization).  This really just means online positioning and employing best practices, such as titles, spelling, originality, Google, codes, graphics and visual tools, etc. On the other hand, and the tool I like most: social networks—which, with the recent changes Google has made to its algorithms, also influence search engine rankings—like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, e-readers and Youtube.

I think Facebook is the most useful social platform that helps with promotion, dissemination and capturing the audience’s attention.

Tell me about your section of Women Entrepreneurs. What is the goal and what is the goal?

In Women Entrepreneurs I highlight women who have stood out in a specific sector or activity and originality.

The economic crisis has affected everyone without discrimination, but especially Latino families. I have seen many of my readers try to find new ways to generate income based on their particular skills or talents without needing to neglect their families. Most have done very well! That is why I decided to give them a space on my blog in order to recognize them and support them while promoting what these wonderful women are doing.

The second purpose of this section is to inspire and encourage other women who are perhaps a little disoriented and don’t know what to do to succeed or achieve their dreams and goals beyond the household.

Finally, it’s a place to meet and get to know each other better and strengthen our bond as an online community.

What do you do besides blogging? What are some of your other interests or passions?

In addition to publishing my blog Mom XXI, I’m a Blog Guide for About.com’s Blogs (a New York Times publication), I write weekly for Moms Blogs by Jeanette Kaplun and Todobebé, I contribute regularly to the Blogger Friends of Maseca section of Maseca, and I have also contributed to Plaza Familia’s monthly print magazine and a number of other projects. I’m also a homemaker, wife, mother of three adorable children, and I love to dance. To destress, break the routine and move around a bit I go to Zuma two to three times a week.

When Venezuelan midfielder Bernardo Añor of the Columbus Crew attributes his success on the field to his fans, take his word for it. Añor says his dream to play soccer professionally was made possible by his tissue donor.

Just a few years ago, Añor was kicked from behind during play and suffered a torn ligament requiring a tissue transplant to repair his knee.  With the support of his family and friends, Añor underwent the successful procedure.  Thankfully, Añor is now back in the game, and able to pursue his dream as a soccer player better than ever.

Bernardo Añor signing a young heart recipient’s t-shirt

Añor, along with four other Columbus Crew athletes, is joining forces with Lifeline of Ohio, an independent, non-profit organization that promotes and coordinates the donation of human organs and tissue for transplantation—for the second consecutive season – for their “Heroes On and Off the Field” (Héroes En y Fuera del Campo) campaign.

First Kick 2012

The goal of the Heroes On and Off the Field campaign is to raise awareness about tissue and organ donation, beginning with “First Kick 2012,” the Columbus Crew’s first home game taking place this Saturday, March 24.

You can be a hero, and join the campaign, by registering as an organ and tissue donor.

Help raise awareness of this great cause and cheer on the Columbus Crew at their first game of the season. The first 10,000 attendees at “First Kick” this Saturday will receive a free commemorative scarf.

Limited edition Columbus Crew’s scarf giveaway at the March 24th game

How you can Help

Organ and tissue donation saves thousands of lives and dreams each and every year, many of which are facilitated through Lifeline of Ohio. This season, Social Media Spanish is working with Lifeline of Ohio to set up a Facebook tab for Spanish speaking Ohioans so they may learn more about how they can sign up to save lives.  Lifeline of Ohio communicates to the Spanish speaking community with more than just Facebook; they have a Spanish web page and compose Spanish tweets from the Lifeline of Ohio Twitter page to further engage the Hispanic community.

Whether you’re a fan of Añor, the Columbus Crew, want to donate, or simply want to learn more, visit: http://www.lifelineofohio.org/become-a-donor/how-to-register/ where you can sign up for information and register to donate.  Just one click can save hundreds of lives!

Newly launched Spanish tab on the Lifeline of Ohio Facebook page

Blog Integration

Integrating a blog in the company’s overall marketing plan not only helps with search engine rankings and furthers the brand’s online image, it also propels all other marketing initiatives in a way that other platforms cannot. Evidenced by the recent influx of bloggers; brands and bloggers are taking heed and fostering symbiotic relationships.

As of July 2011, there are an estimated 164 million blogs on the Internet. Hispanics make up 15 percent (33.5 million) of the overall online presence in the US, and are growing three times as fast as the general market. Evidently the sector of Hispanic bloggers is thriving as seen by the number of big-name brands sourcing bloggers to promote their products. Hispanics are 37 percent more likely than the general population to publish a blog on a blogging platform or use a social networking site, according to a recent study by 360i.

Big Brands using Bloggers

In January of 2012, Ford sent 150 bloggers on a two-day, all-expenses trip to Detroit, Michigan for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Green Bloggers, otherwise labeled “Online Influencers” by the Ford company, were taken to the Henry Ford Museum, given a behind-the-scenes tour of design facilities and were first to preview the new 2013 Ford Fusion. The bloggers were strategically sourced via ad agency Ogilvy. The lengths Ford went to recruit bloggers speaks to this overall trend of non-traditional marketing. Ad and marketing agencies are pitching to bloggers and using them as both a focus group and test market for new products and ideas. Some companies court bloggers more aggressively by incentivizing coverage and requiring live blogging via Twitter, Facebook or otherwise.

Just as Ford focused on green bloggers to spread the message of eco-driving, brands looking to focus on the Hispanic market are turning to Latinas to promote their brands. A study released in November of 2011 revealed that Latino consumers spend $7.5 billion on personal care products. Thus it’s no surprise that Pantene and Covergirl incorporated Latina bloggers as part of their Valentine’s Day campaign. Mary Kay also got in on the action at November’s LATISM (Latinos in Social Media) Conference in Chicago in 2011 by offering makeovers to attendees. They were interested in hearing what bloggers thought about Mary Kay products.  Mary Kay’s tactics were akin to Ford in their subtlety. Nevertheless, this type of deliberate recruitment of bloggers shows just how valuable they are to brand promotion.

Mommy Bloggers, “Las Blogeras”

When it comes to the most targeted and arguably the most lucrative, Mommy bloggers are it. It is reported that 3.9 million women with children write blogs. This number will rise to 4.4 million by 2014. Mothers are more likely to blog than women in general and, with a lifestyle more conducive to consistent blogging, are more attractive to major brands. Though very much a niche market, brands are finding these bloggers to be loyal, deeply involved and committed to sharing their views and endorsements with their audience. A prominent Mommy blogger is 31-year-old Romina Tibytt who publishes Mamá XXI, a three-year-old Spanish-language blog that helps mothers source coupons, deals and samples to their families. We spent time talking to Romina about the blogging market, best practices and just why she joined this growing market.

Interview with Romina Tibytt of Mama XXI

1) Can you give us a brief description of who you are and why you decided to launch a blog?

My name is Romina, I’m 31 years old, and I am from Argentina but have lived in New York the past 10 years. I am married to an Argentine and together we have three children: two boys and a girl, who are both our joy and reason for living.
I received a Masters in Primary Education with a concentration in folklore and folk dances in Argentina. I also studied anthropology and philosophy, but I never received my degree because I emigrated.
Currently, I work as a freelance writer and blogger. I started my blog Mama XXI at the end of 2009. By then, the economic crisis had affected my family, I spent hours—more like full days—on the Internet, reading and learning about how to handle the situation at hand when I discovered the English-language blogs that offered readers coupons, tips for how to save money, etc., all of which had become quite popular at this point.
After not finding similar resources for the Hispanic community, I decided to start my own Spanish-language blog where I could share and exchange useful tips with readers. It also served as a creative outlet away from the everyday tasks and family chores that for years kept me on “stand by.”

2) What changes have you observed in bloggers and the blogging community from 2010 to the present?

There have been many important changes over the last two years. When I started my blog in late 2009, I remember that one of the first blogging communities that picked up my blog was Monique Frausto’s Blogs by Latinas, which had several English blogs and only a handful of Spanish-language blogs—I could count them on one hand!
Today we are many female Latina bloggers, active and writing in Spanish—there are hundreds of us in the United States. The reason? Demand! The popularity of these types of blogs has grown, and continues to rise rapidly, because they are platforms that users find very useful, practical and simple. The interaction between the blogger and readers as well as that among the readers themselves, plays a major role in its success.

3) Who are the “Blogeras” and who do they represent?
I think the term “blogeras”, as bloggers, arose from the need to translate the English term bloggers. Over time it became a name for the group of those who write in Spanish and with which we are simply identified, hence we use the hashtag #lasBlogueras on Twitter.

4) Tell me about a campaign for a government agency or a non-for profit organization. Explain the topic & the result.

I have participated in several campaigns for the government, most of them focused on the promotion of healthy habits. The response has been very favorable from all my readers, not only do these blogs send a good message but they also generate discussions and reflections. I personally consider these actions very important.

In the area of health, there are very few resources and information available to Hispanics. There are also major barriers for those seeking access to information sources; language first and second pre-conceived ideas, such as if the doctor will answer questions if you do not speak English.  These and other similar barriers should be demolished.

Each time I receive a proposal to participate in a campaign that involves health, I have no doubt to be a part of it.  I am all about improving the quality of life of my Latino peers.  And health and education are key topics.

5) For large brands trying to reach the Latino market, why should they consider bloggers as part of the strategy?

This is a very interesting question. Nobody wants to be left behind in today’s competitive and demanding business world. Blogs are the trend of the moment and a preferred forum among readers to get recommendations and information. A blogger not only uses his platform to disseminate information, but does so through all networks.

To be Continued…

Please mark your calendar for next week when we will publish the rest of our interview with Romina Tibytt of Mama XXI. If you want to learn more about how Social Media Spanish can help you with blogger outreach for your campaign or brand, please visit our Capabilities page.

On Monday, March 12, my firm DK Web Consulting completes its first year in operation since opening a second office in Phoenix last spring.  Much has happened in the past year, many new contacts have been made and client deals have been struck.  I find none of that too surprising since we expanded to Phoenix because of the opportunity we saw to make a difference and provide our Hispanic communications services to the western region of the United States.

So why open a Hispanic marketing agency in Phoenix?

The question I am most often asked when I travel around the country, from those closest to me as well as people I have just met is, “Arizona? Why would we want to open an office in Phoenix of all places?”

I know they are referring to the anti-Latino sentiment here, and the fact that our current governor makes our entire region look like a buffoon-run state, and I will discuss my personal feelings on this towards the end of this post.

I explain to them that these are the reasons DK is proud to have moved to Phoenix, Arizona:

1. Phoenix is a major Hispanic market.  With approximately 40% of the city Latino, it makes sense for a marketing agency that focuses on the Hispanic community to locate in a large metropolitan area with this demographic makeup.

2. Phoenix, is not saturated with Hispanic agencies.  Unlike many of the other top Hispanic markets such as LA, New York, and Miami, Phoenix is not overloaded with agencies that focus on Hispanic communications.  It turns out there recently was a major Hispanic player in Phoenix that folded in the past few years which has left opportunities for smaller growing companies like DK.

3. Phoenix is conveniently located and beautiful.  We knew we wanted to have our second location in the western region.  The appeal of Phoenix is that it is a very convenient (US Airways and Southwest have hubs here) and cost effective location.  And with the scenic mountains and good climate, it is a wonderful city in which to have the annual company picnic

LATISM and the Media

Since starting up in Phoenix, I have become a Director for the newly founded Phoenix chapter of LATISM, or Latinos in Social Media.  This group is active in most of the top cities in the U.S.  Prior to attending the first LATISM conference held in Chicago, I wrote a blog about what I planned to attend and learn at LATISM ’11.  Having the chance to get out there and meet so many other like-minded Hispanic social influencers and bloggers helped to set us up for a big year and to plan our first Tweet-up event for LATISM Phoenix this April.

In December of 2011, I was interviewed on TV with my colleague Joe Ray (another LATISM Phoenix Director).  The Latino-themed TV show Horizonte, part of the local PBS programming, invited Joe and I to discuss LATISM and what the movement was all about.  We agreed as we are always looking for methods to spread the news of LATISM’s mission to other interested Arizonans.

PBS’s interest proved to me that opening an office here was the right decision as it was evident that there is much interest about learning what Hispanic social media professionals are doing in this community.   You can view the 12 minute clip below.

¡Hola Local Clients! 

Turf Paradise Latino Facebook Welcome Page

Additionally, in Phoenix more and more companies are listening to the waves of reports coming in about Hispanics high usage of social media and have been interested in how we can help them communicate with the Hispanic audience .  I have been fortunate to partner with a local and well established traditional marketing agency, FACIL Marketing, founded by longtime journalist Ruben Hernandez.  By teaming up with FACIL, we have formed a powerful unit which allows our clients to reach the Hispanic market through a combination of new media forums as well as traditional marketing methods such as earned media, PSA’s, and media pitches.

We have placed one of our clients, the well known horse racing venue Turf Paradise in North Phoenix,in several of the regional Spanish-language newspapers and radio stations, followed by initiating conversations on Twitter with personalities such as the first Mexican NBA player Horacio Llamas and even actor John Ortiz of the new HBO hit series, Luck.

Sneak peak of the ALAC website redesign

Other local clients that have become part of our portfolio include the Arizona Latino Arts and Culture Center (ALAC).  DK is presently working on a web redesign for the 5 year old non-profit, which is an inspiring staple of Phoenix’s Hispanic artistic community.  Watch for the new design to come out in the spring of 2012.  I also am proud to have been invited to join the ALAC Marketing Advisory Committee to help promote their awareness both locally and nationally.

How about Sherriff Joe, SB1070, and the overall negative sentiment towards Latinos?

I have seen and felt the negative sentiment towards Hispanics many times in the past year, but not nearly as much as my darker skinned hermanos that don’t carry the same americanizado accent that I do.  As I mentioned earlier, people outside of Arizona often ask me why I would want to subject myself to an environment that can be hostile to Latinos.  On a personal level, I explain to them that I really see it as a great opportunity to show people that they have misjudged Latinos.  I believe that most people who stereotype typically do so out of ignorance and fear.  They listen to talk radio, local news broadcasts and even our governor that often skews or purposely misrepresents the truth about illegal immigration, Hispanic crime rates and Latino work ethic among other things.  By presenting myself as a professional, well educated Latino that is involved with the community, I feel it works to show people that Latinos are not the bad guys from their nightmares.  Latinos are people that work hard, pay their taxes and employ others just like they do.

A perfect example of how many people do not have a full concept of who Latinos are and how they are affected by new anti-Latino legislation was illustrated by a young filmmaker named Alejandra Gama.  Ms. Gama created a documentary, “Right to be an American” about the life of a Latino family in Phoenix that is very personally affected by House Bill 2561 and 2562 in Arizona that would deny their children citizenship.  When Ms. Gama was asked about how people reacted to the film, she mentioned that many people who see the documentary soften their tone on immigration as they have never previously seen the face of an innocent toddler who is affected by new legislation that would deny them their 14th Ammendment rights.  It is a touching film and I encourage everyone to watch the 11 minute video.

To the next 5 years in Phoenix

Overall, DK is proud to be located in Arizona, which many people consider Ground Zero for Hispanic issues.   However, things are improving here as more Latinos come of voting age, and become more active in getting out to vote.  They are changing the Latino destiny here through the ballot box.  And I, proud to be a new homeowner in central Phoenix, am continuing to spread my roots within the city I now call home.

Eric enjoying the sunrise at the Grand Canyon

“Numbers were up during opening week this season. Hispanics tuned in, continuing to build on the year-to-year growth we’ve experienced since the launch of the campaign in 2009,” said NBA Vice President of Multicultural Marketing Saskia Sorrosa.

But how big is this growth exactly?

Last time we spoke, NBA Hispanic Marketing: “Social Media a Key Component of Our Strategy,” éne-bé-a had more than 248,000 fans on Facebook and 1,800 on Twitter. Today, they have nearly 310,000 fans (25 percent growth) on Facebook and 5,600 on Twitter (211 percent growth).

One would think growth like this is due to a heavy social media ad campaign, but to our surprise, it was not.

“The growth we’ve seen on our social media assets is mostly organic. We have TV, radio and online ads that drive viewers back to our enebea.com page, but we don’t buy ads on Facebook anymore,” Ms. Sorrosa explained. “One strategy we’re currently focusing on is heavily cross promoting our éne-bé-a pages with our general market [English-language] pages.”

Ms. Sorrosa explained that 12 percent of the NBA’s (English-language) Facebook and Twitter followers – more than 11 million likes and 3.8 million followers, respectively – are Hispanic. Cross promoting allows the team to push culturally relevant content among bicultural, bilingual fans across the NBA, and drive them back to éne-bé-a social media assets for customized engagement. She also shared with us that they are keeping many strategies they have been using for years, like their “blog squad, videos, and Q&A sessions.” Overall, they are now focusing on cross promotion through the multiple online channels where they know Hispanic fans are consuming, while allowing social media to serve as their primary engagement piece.

We examined how éne-bé-a has driven an increase of fan engagements from an average of 70 per post during the 2011 season, up to 85 engagements per Facebook post so far in 2012. Ms. Sorrosa attributes the growth to the fact that “the content we are providing is better, and we are cross promoting on our English-language social media pages where we know Hispanic fans are also following our game.”

Ms. Sorrosa enjoys seeing Facebook’s new “Talking About This” tracker as well as Facebook Shares, which is now a feature that appears on each post.

“These features are incredibly important. They allow us to track how many stories are going viral, being shared, and sparking conversations,” Ms. Sorrosa said. “Since we are learning more from our audience, we (the éne-bé-á) know what (fans) want to see.”

And without further ado, here are the numbers:

Hispanic regular-season viewership was up 59 percent in 2010-11 in comparison to the previous season (vs. 27 percent growth in non-Hispanic viewership)

During Opening Week 2011-12, Hispanic viewership was up 26 percent on ABC, TNT, and ESPN, over-indexing in comparison to non-Hispanic viewership by 160 percent

Over the past three years, the growth of the NBA

The enebea grew by an incredible 211% on their Twitter page since November of 2010

The enebea Facebook page has experienced 25% growth since Nov 2010.

Facebook engagement has grown by 21% since last season, up to 85 engagements (likes, comments, or shares) per post.

Sales of Noche Latina merchandise at NBAStore.com was up 104 percent in 2011 in comparison to the previous year

Missed last years review on the NBA’s Hispanic Marketing?

Read “NBA Hispanic Marketing: A look inside the éne•bé•a”

Using the online listening power tool Radian6, we researched a quantity of over 60,000 online mentions¹ of brands that advertised during the Super Bowl to find which ones resonated most with Hispanics.  We analyzed conversations by Spanish dominant and bilingual Hispanics using sophisticated search method techniques, facilitated by the software.  By doing this we were able to capture not only the pure Spanish conversation, but also the English speaking Hispanics whom are increasingly important to brands in the US’s evolving American culture.

So lets dig into the numbers…

¿Tienes Hambre?  - Food Brands mentioned by Hispanics

Doritos led the food conversation among Hispanics during the Super Bowl. Most of the conversation took place on Twitter and the predominant language for this brand was Spanglish; “Doritos y dip no hay mejor combinación ” (Eng: Doritos and dip, there is no better combination). In comparison, powerhouse brand, M&M’s, only held 1.7% volume of conversation versus 97.7% for Doritos when compared head to head. Dannon’s Oikos Greek Yogurt commercial made a dent, but only garnered 0.6% of the total Hispanic conversation among the 3 food brands.

Hispanic mentions of 3 food brands: Doritos, M&M’s and Oikos (Radian6 graphic)

Which Beverages did Hispanics chat about?

Moving forward in our Super Bowl Ads analysis, beverage giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi equally dominated the conversation with 47.8% and 47.3% respectively. Here are a few verbatim from the high volume of posts for the two soft drinks: “¿Qué le dijo un refresco de cola a otro? I´m pepsi and I know it” (Eng: What did a cola soft drink tell to another? I´m pepsi and I know it) and,  “Me gusta el comercial de coca cola #podemosserhéroes” (Eng: I like the coca cola comercial #podemosserhéroes).

Trailing behind, beer giant Budweiser and Bud light represented the least amount of conversations with less than 5% combined, as our research showed that Hispanics were more prone to chat about soft drinks than beer.  The two dominant conversation forums among Hispanics were Youtube and Twitter as Facebook did not play a significant role when engaging fans into conversations.  This is not uncommon as Facebook users typically have private settings which would not be seen in our research.

Left: Percent of Hispanic beverage conversations by brand. Right: Conversation Cloud for Coca-Cola & Pepsi (Radian6 graphics).

So how do you think the carro industry was perceived by Hispanics?

Based on our analysis, two brands fully commanded Hispanic attention around the Super Bowl.  Cadillac came out on top with 36% of the total car conversation versus Chevy’s 34%.  For a report of all Hispanic mentions of car brands see the link to the full report below.

Let’s review how all the Chevy ads performed. The Sonic took the top spot at nearly 31% of all mentions among Chevy’s 4 commercials.  However, we can say that all four Chevy models, Volt, Camaro, Silverado and Sonic, shared a relatively equal amount of the Hispanic conversation.

Left: Car industry conversations. Right: Chevy's conversations by model (Radian6 graphics).

What about Latinas?

Let’s not take for granted the millions of female viewers. H&M presented “a muy caliente” commercial with David Beckham sporting his new underwear line, which had near 100% positive sentiment among Hispanic “chicas”: Que hombre chauuuuu OFFICIAL David Beckham Bodywear…(Eng: What a man byeeee OFFICIAL David Beckham Bodywear…

Surprised by these findings? Not me!

Also, let’s not forget the New York Giant’s Victor Cruz, who proves to be a favorite amongst Hispanics online, especially his end-zone salsa with the Latinas sharing comments of support.

Left: Conversation Cloud for Victor Cruz. Right: Tweet mentions for Victor Cruz (Radian6 graphics).

Your Thoughts

I would love to hear your opinion about all the Super Bowl Ads. Do you believe that Hispanics and other minority groups were ignored?  What no one can ignore is the fact that Hispanics are not only very active online, but also very eager to share their views about these large brands.

Want the Full Report?

Due to size restrictions, we only put several of the highlights of the report on this blog.  If you would like the full report please provide your information below and you will receive it by email.

¹ Online mentions gathered from dates 2/3/2012 – 2/6/2012

The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Hispanic platform, éne-bé-a, which we featured in a two-part series last season, is off to a fast start. With growth numbers almost unrealistic to any brand, the éne-bé-a’s key to their organic social media growth is being a great listener.

The éne-bé-a’s new “Emoción” campaign was born directly from listening to their fans, according to NBA Vice President of Multicultural Marketing Saskia Sorrosa. With this effort the NBA is taking their reach to Hispanic audiences to the next level.

Captivated by the emotion Latinos brings to the game, the éne-bé-a team, with the help of their Hispanic ad agency, Bromley Communications, is aggressively going after this audience. And they are very proud of the outcome from the “Emoción” campaign, in particular their TV and radio creative, which is an extension of their successful “Pobre Garganta” campaign from the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

“The campaign did well during the time it ran. Fans embraced it, and more importantly, identified with it,” Ms. Sorrosa said. “It highlighted the passion that Latinos bring to our game in a dramatic way and used a popular song by Coldplay that connected with both Hispanic and non-Hispanic fans to make the spot universally appealing.”

Check out the éne-bé-a’s commercial featuring Coldplay’s hit song “Paradise” below.

Growing During the Lockout

If you don’t follow sports, you may not have been aware that the NBA had a near season-ending, 161-day lock-out this summer/fall/early winter. It affected many fans, cities, players and businesses, but the éne-bé-a team did not give up on their drive to communicate with their die-hard fans.

“Fans were engaged and ready to tip off the new season,” Ms. Sorrosa said. “We ended 2010-11 on a high note, with viewership and attendance numbers significantly up from previous years. The intensity of competition, athleticism and exciting play from 2010-11 built up a lot of expectations, and that momentum followed through during opening week this year.”

Such positive outcomes are not pure luck; the team worked around the clock monitoring conversations to make sure they kept their audience’s interest and passion at the forefront of their strategy. Indeed, their ‘emoción’ campaign and the use of social media with cross promotion had much to do with their success.

“Our éne-bé-a Facebook page and Twitter feeds were an important resource for us to connect with our fans during the lockout.” Ms. Sorrosa said. “It allowed us to understand the general sentiment among fans, continue our engagement, and communicate relevant information in a timely manner. Our social media team also developed a @nba_labor Twitter feed, with official news from the NBA that focused on providing accurate information and updates on the state of CBA negotiations. This feed was especially important for media, including our Hispanic media, to ensure the news that was reported was accurate and up-to-date.”

The éne-bé-a page posted highlights from past seasons during the lockout, such as this one from what is regarded as one of the best slam dunk competitions of all times

Interestingly enough, the NBA used a mixed media strategy to keep people ‘emocionados.’ They ran classic games and series on NBA TV, and then engaged fans online through social media as a reminder of why they loved the game to begin with. This worked to remind their audience ‘de los buenos tiempos’ (“the good ol’ days”) and of the greatness of the game, then and now.

“‘Fans loved reliving some of the best moments in the NBA,” Ms. Sorrosa shared. “Fans remembered the plays and commented about the matchups on our social media assets. It generated excitement, sparked conversation, and built anticipation for the new season to start.”

Latino Players and Latino Markets.

With the Big 3 in Miami, Carmelo in New York, and Chris Paul in L.A., the éne-bé-a internal team is looking toward the future of multicultural communications within these huge markets and across the country. To keep up with the opportunities, the group has transformed from a two-person team operated by Ms. Sorrosa, into a full-blown multicultural department targeting “Hispanics, African-Americans, Youths and Women.”

But even then, marketing to Hispanic sports fans can be tricky. As Victor Villalba, Manager of Spanish Language Broadcasting for the Dallas Cowboys, explains in Hispanic Marketing with ‘America’s Team,’ Hispanics are fans of a diverse group of players and, like many fans, they gravitate toward excellence.

“Fans are just fans of the game’s best players, not necessarily only the Latinos,” Ms. Sorrosa explained. “However, it helps strengthen the emotional reach. Having 27 Latino players, including those who are U.S. born, helps develop a deeper connection.”

For example, in Miami, Ms. Sorrosa explained, “48 percent of fans attending games are Hispanics, even before the Big 3” came together. Although she did acknowledge that it would “make it more compelling” for all fans, it is all about listening. Paying attention to your audience and responding quickly with the right message.

The Future. #LATISM. And Overall Success.

The éne-bé-a is already working incredibly hard at reaching Latinos in their native countries, which we will discuss in the near future. (Be on the lookout for our NBA Latin America story several weeks from now.)  A group we recommended for the NBA to follow was the Latinos in Social Media movement, better known as #LATISM.

“We’re not sure yet how we would partner with them, but it’s on our radar,” Ms. Sorrosa said.

What Ms. Sorrosa made clear throughout our interview is that the NBA is doing whatever possible to utilize available outlets and media channels to cross-promote their message to fans on both their English and Spanish-language social media assets. They observe conversations occurring naturally on Twitter and Facebook to gain insights about their fans all season round. Speaking with Ms. Sorrosa, it definitely feels as though there are big things coming for the éne-bé-a.

To share some perspective, here are some success numbers from Nielsen, one of the leading research groups in the country: Opening week of the 2011-12 season was up 26 percent in Hispanic viewership in comparison to the same time the previous year, which over-indexed in comparison to non-Hispanic viewership by 160 percent. Close to 6 million Hispanic viewers watched during opening week alone, not counting fans watching on ESPN Deportes.

We welcome you to share this story, as well as share your thoughts about any or all topics discussed in this story. Be on the watch for Part two next week with a focus on ‘The Numbers.’

About Saskia Sorrosa

Saskia Sorrosa, Vice President of Multicultural/Targeted Marketing for the NBA

As Vice President of Multicultural/Targeted Marketing for the NBA, Saskia Sorrosa is responsible for brand strategy, brand positioning, content development, event promotion, and advertising efforts targeted to the U.S. Hispanic, African-American, Youth, and Female segments. In October 2009, Sorrosa successfully launched the NBA’s first-ever integrated marketing campaign targeted to the bicultural, bilingual Latino fan, known as éne•bé•a (the pronunciation of the NBA in Spanish); followed in December 2010 by the launch of the league’s youth platform, NBA Hoop Troop.

Prior to assuming this role, Sorrosa launched and managed the Burson-Marsteller Medellin, Colombia office, where she was responsible for positioning and growing the firm in the Antioquia region, as well as broadening its client base.